Last Words
by notanaussie
Summary: Lily and Severus had one last exchange before that fateful Halloween night.


This is just a little story that popped into my head. Call it a writing exercise, and tell me what you think of it.

Disclaimer: We all know who owns Harry Potter, and it certainly isn't me.

Last Words

_August 1978_

Severus Snape, not wanting to be bothered, ignored Tom the barman and swiftly passed through The Leaky Cauldron. His heavy footsteps fell with impatience as he walked straight through the bar and out to the alley, where the entrance to Diagon Alley lay.

Despite passing his Apparition Exam with flying colors the moment he turned seventeen, Severus still preferred gaining entry into the small wizarding alleyway through this bar. Though he vowed as a young boy to never use this path once learning how to apparate, continuing to do so was his own personal punishment for never reconciling his relationship with Lily Evans, as a reminder of the connection between the muggle and magical worlds. It never occurred to him that Lily herself would use this entrance until this very moment, when the bricks parted, seemingly, of their own accord, revealing the red-haired girl who stood on the other side.

Startled, the two of them stood there, staring wide-eyed at one another, before Lily spoke up, not unkindly.

"Hello Severus."

"Lily."

An awkward silence took over the two of them again, and Lily made a move to go when Severus, remembering the strength of the friendship they once shared and aching to rekindle it, surprised them both by offering to buy her a drink. So they could

"… catch up."

Severus inwardly cringed at his attempt to ask his old friend to spend time with him, after nearly two years of silence, but she, always cordial, agreed. So Severus fetched two Butterbeers from Tom and led Lily to a dim corner booth, away from all prying eyes.

It was as they were taking their seats that Severus noticed the ring set on her left hand. Nothing ostentatious, but very beautiful. Just like her.

"You're engaged," he said, disbelieving, "to Potter. You're marrying Potter."

Lily uncapped her Butterbeer and smiled that small smile that made her eyes twinkle like twin emeralds. "To James, yes. He proposed last week."

Severus knew how much Lily loved James. He saw them, everyone saw them during their last year at Hogwarts, always sitting together, talking, laughing, sometimes bickering, sometimes kissing, but always, always together. He saw it. The look in her eyes when she talked to him or about him. He saw it but couldn't_ understand_ it, and never bothered hiding it, not then, and not now.

"James Potter, Lily! He's an arrogant bastard! You're young; it's too soon," the excuses poured out of his mouth "Why would you - "

"Sev!"

The use of his old nickname stopped him. No one ever did that but Lily, and, despite the angry ferocity behind it, he was glad to hear it again.

"It is quick, but I love him, so why wait? There's a war going on and the world is going to hell around us and sometimes it puts life in perspective faster. And people change, Sev. James is better. I promise, he's not the same boy that… He's mature now, and good, and I love him."

"You really think he's changed?" He couldn't keep the sneer out of his voice.

Lily turned cold. "Yes, Severus. Because people can change, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse."

"Worse?" Severus wondered, for he couldn't help hoping that all was not well in their paradise.

He never expected Lily grab his left hand, pulling it towards her and shoving the sleeve up to his elbow. There, freshly tattooed on his forearm, was the Dark Mark. Severus received it not a week ago, and the sharp contours cut through the dingy setting. Snape quickly withdrew his arm and pulled his sleeve down with more force than necessary. He saw Lily's anger and disappointment and lowered his eyes.

Silence. He knew Lily was waiting for him to look at her again, but for the first time in his life he couldn't. It was Lily who broke the silence.

"When I was ten, my best friend told me that being a muggle-born didn't matter. We could go to Hogwarts together and learn how to do magic properly without getting into trouble. Our school would be a castle full of secrets, but it wouldn't be scary because we'd learn them all. Together. I don't know what happened to that him, but sometimes I miss the boy who was excited about life and taught me about magic and, above all, was a good friend. The best friend."

"We could still have been best friends! Why couldn't you just _forgive_ me?" Severus said, not hiding his desperation, "It was an accident! I swear! I never meant to call you a – to insult you like that!"

"I suppose joining the Death Eaters was an accident as well! Severus, we're not children anymore. We make our own decisions. And I can't be friends with a man who joined an organization hell bent on killing people like me, just because of my birth. In fact," Lily stood, "I shouldn't be here now. It's probably dangerous for me to be around you."

"I would never put you in danger."

Lily faced him. "You can't promise that, Sev." With those parting words, she exited the bar.


End file.
